4th Festival of Thinkers, Abu-Dhabi
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Festival of Thinkers, Abu-Dhabi : Dr. Wijaya Godakumbura making
a power point presentation on ‘Prevention of Injuries’
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Six Nobel Laureates and 78 'World Thinkers' participated as resource
persons in the above festival held recently in Abu-Dhabi for 325 young
people from around the world.
It was organised by the Higher Colleges of Technology of Abu- Dhabi,
and the Sri Lankan surgeon and activist Dr. Wijaya Godakumbura was one
of six World Thinkers chosen from South East Asia.
He was a panelist in the workshop on 'Leadership in Healthcare' and
in the panel discussion on ' Health & UN Millennium Development Goals'.
He also made a power point presentation on 'Prevention of Injuries',
a subject that is not getting enough attention in some countries.
Dr. Godakumbura was chosen for this festival because of his kerosene
burn prevention project of 19 years.
Burns are the "most devastating form of injury that a person could
sustain and survive".
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Festival of Thinkers, Abu-Dhabi : Dr. Wijaya Godakumbura
speaking at the panel discussion of ‘Health & UN Millennium
Goals’. With him are, the Nobel Prize winner for Medicine in
1998, the Founder of Monaco Lifecheck Centre, a Neuroscientist
from Germany and the Pro Vice Chancellor of the Oxford
University. Riz Khan of Al Jazeera TV was the moderator. |
Everyday, 700,000 families in Sri Lanka still use kerosene for
lighting, and more during power outages.
Due to poverty and ignorance many of them use makeshift bottle lamps
that easily tip over causing severe burns. While some die, others
survive with gruesome scars on the face, neck and/or elsewhere; their
mental agony is such that many ask , "Doctor, why didn't you allow me to
die"! The Safe Bottle Lamp Foundation gives out their 'Sudeepa' safe
lamps free to kerosene users. They are now working in partnership with
the Samurdhi Authority that has agreed to distribute the lamps while the
production cost has to be borne by the Foundation.
Last week they gave 12,500 of their lamps free to the Samurdhi
Authority, to be given to the people in the Polonnaruwa District.
Lamps have also been distributed in other areas, including Eastern
and Northern Provinces with support from the army.
They welcome donations from well-wishers to maximize their work.
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